


Give Up

by auselysium



Category: Coronation Street
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 17:58:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8170726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auselysium/pseuds/auselysium
Summary: Gap filler scene after Billy orders them a cab from the hospital after Todd's confession about Sam.





	

The cab arrives just in time to land them in the worst Manchester rush hour has to offer.

But Todd’s not bothered. He’d be happy to sit in the back of this taxi, embraced by the gentle quiet of Billy’s acceptance for an eternity.

The space between them is at a premium, filled with deep thoughts, private memories, tangled emotions. Their shoulders brush as the car ambles over a particularly bumpy patch of road. Todd pulls his eyes away from the window and the light fading on the passing streets, to see Billy looking down at the pleather seat, their fingers mere millimeters away.

Todd didn’t know a smile could be full of such conflicted pain and tenderness all at once until Billy looks at him.

“I’m glad you told me,” he says. “About Sam. It clearly isn’t easy for you to talk about what happened.”

Todd shrugs it off, as he is want to do with anything real. “Nearly ten years on and it still leaves me a right state.” But Billy’s patient look urges him on. He bites at his lip, picks at the corner of the bandage on his arm.

“I’ve never told anyone about him before.”

“No one?”

“I mean, it was a secret wasn’t it, when it started.”

“But surely your mum…”

“I didn’t want her to worry. Find out about Sam’s status and go on about ‘risks’ and ‘protection’,” Todd smiles gently. “I would have been mortified.”

“Jason then?”

“No,” he says, flatly. “We weren’t exactly full of brotherly love when I left. And after the way things kicked off with me and Sarah and Karl, the last thing I needed was people judging me. Besides, if I had Sam I thought I had all the family I needed.”

Billy is thoughtful for a moment as Todd catches a tear on lower lid before it has a chance to fall.

“So you thought you’d just show up one day and say, ‘Surprise, meet my husband!’” The corners of Billy’s mouth twist up into a grin as how silly that sounds and Todd laughs too, unable to help himself.

“That would have made for a dramatic return, wouldn’t it?” He says as his smile slips away. “But I don’t know if I ever thought it all the way through to the end.” He rests his head back on the headrest. “Maybe that was the problem. Maybe deep down I knew that he’d never really give up his whole life for me. That I’d never really be enough. I mean, why would I be?”

The sound of the directional signal indicates their final turn onto Coronation Street. The cab stops off at number 11. Billy insists he pay the fare.

Todd takes a deep breath, trying to breath out all the heartache, remembered and present, that he’s faced over the course of the day. He slips his hands into his pockets. The folded prescription crinkles under this fingers.

The cab drives off and Billy joins him on the sidewalk.

“I could murder a pint. I’m buying if you fancy?”

Billy looks down the street, a very visible battle of what he wants and what he knows he should do waging across his face. “I think…I’ll give it a miss tonight.”

Todd nods, prepared for the rejection, eyeing the tops of his shoes.

“I’ll come by, check on you in the morning, yeah?” Billy says, looking a bit bashful.

“Sure, ta.” Todd says, clearing his throat

“But Todd.” Billy is suddenly close, his fingers once again warm across his jaw. “You’d be amazed what someone might be willing to give up for you.”

Billy smiles once again at him before crossing the street.

And for the first time in ages, years maybe, Todd feels his chest fill with something other than regret. Shame. Loss. This time it’s determination. Certainty. Love. Trust.

He turns towards the Rovers. There is something he has to do. 

**Author's Note:**

> Really quick! I'll probably edit again soon. :)


End file.
